Clad in thriftstore tweed and set against a picturesque autumnal backdrop, the strangeness of Andy Kehoe’s characters, and their world, is explored even further with the artist’s new body of work, ‘Strange Wanderings.’
Premiering soon at Jonathan LeVine Gallery, the new series serves as a symbolization of Kehoe’s recent cross country trip from his home of Portland, OR to his new setting of Pittsburg, PA. Hi-Fructose magazine is proud to present a short interview with Andy regarding his recent travels, along with a preview of his upcoming show.
Hi Andy, thanks for taking the time to sit down with us today. Your latest body of work is entitled ‘Strange Wanderings’ and is loosely based on your recent relocation. Can you tell us why you left Portland? What brought you to Pittsburgh?
I love Portland to death, but I think it was just a matter of living where I felt happiest. I really missed my family and the smart-ass sarcasm of the Eastern coast. I feel more at home here. Pittsburgh makes sense for my freewheeling artist lifestyle as well. Space here is ridiculously cheap so I get way more for way less and I don’t feel broke and hungry everyday like I did in Portland.
I’ve made the cross country trip a couple times myself, which route did you take?
We traveled the Northern route and made stops in Craters of the Moon, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Devil’s Tower and the Badlands. Amazing sights. We took our time through all the National Parks and then booked it the rest of the way. After all the fun stuff, I just wanted to get myself and all my earthly belongings back to Pittsburgh.
Any interesting detour or side adventures?
My only side adventure was beating extreme constipation. I did.
Any words of advice, recommendations?
I would highly recommend visiting any of the places we visited. No words or pictures can do it justice. And camp as often as you can. And carry a knife.
How did the trip affect your work? Are there any specific references to your strange wanderings in ‘Strange Wanderings’?
Nothing specific really. It’s mostly in regards to the feeling of being at these places. Nothing can describe the feeling of sitting in the wide expanse of the Yellowstone grasslands, soaking in the peeks of the Grand Tetons or staring up at the strange grandeur of the Devil’s Tower. All I can hope to do is capture some of that gusto and awe and translate it my own way. One of those ways, for me, was to make creatures on a grand scale that would evoke the same reverence as the natural wonders I witnessed. There’s a certain deep almost physical reaction to seeing something larger than life that I’ve always loved.
Finally, now that you’ve settled into your new digs, what’s next?
I finished my last piece for the show over the weekend so I’m going to relish this feeling for a bit. There’s no better feeling for me than seeing months of hard work and sleepless nights culminate into something I’m really proud of. But it’ll be short lived as I have my next big show coming up in October at Roq La Rue. Back to the grind.
Thanks Andy!